Pneumatic dust-collector and sweeper.



"No. 705,585. Patented July 29, I902,

J. T. HOPE.

PNEUMATIC DUST COLLECTOR AND SWEEPER.

(Application filed July 20, 1801.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

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No. 705,585. Patented July 29," I902.

J. T. HOPE; PNEUMATIC DUST COLLECTOR AND SWEEPER.

' A ipficaticn filed my 20, 1901.

2 Sheeis-Sheet 2.

(lo Model.)

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UNITED, STATES PATENT Gunter.

JOHN T. HOPE,'OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI PNEUMATIC DUST-CQLLECTOR AN SWEEPEQR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No .705,585, dated July 29, 1902.

Application filed July 20 1901. Serial No. 69,001. (No model To aZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN T. HOPE, acitizen of the United States of America, residingat Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsinPneumaticDusi? Collectors and Sweepers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and ex: act description of the invention, such as will enable others to make and use the-same, reference being'had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

The object of myinvention, primarily, is to remove the dust and debris from any surface upon which the dust is deposited during the passage ofareceiver over the deposited dust into the receivers in-which the dust isdrawn by suction secondly, to collect the dust and debris in either a forward or reverse direction of the movement of the dust-receiver;

separate motor-propelled vehicles or cars for a street-railway, upon one of which is located a suction and blast apparatus and the novel dust-collecting devices and upon the other vehicle or car the receptacle or compartment for the collected dust. Fig. 2 is a side view of the cars and of the invention as seen in Fig. 1, showing the trolley for conducting the current of electricity from an overhead wire to the motors on the car. Fig. 3 is a View, upon a smaller scale than in Fig. 1, of the car or vehicle carrying its suction and blast apparatus and the lateral dust-receivers, taken from the end of the car upon the line as 00 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 isa detail side 'view, enlarged, of one of the novel dust collectors and receivers, showing one of the controlling-rods for raising the dust-collector and sweeper in an elevated position. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the dust-collecting receiver and sweeper, showing the devices for raising and lowering the dust-sweepers. Fig. 6 is a detail broken view of the inner end of the receiver. Fig. 7 is a detail side View of the flexible joints on the elbow connecting the horizontal tube beneath the car with the receivers. Fig. 8 is avertical'sectional View of the connecting flexible joints as seen in Fig.

7. Fig. 9 is a detail broken view of the hinged joint of the crank-rods operating the receivers upon the platform of the car. Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view of a portion of the platform of the car, taken upon the line y y of Fig. 1 and showing the horizontal air-suction tube andthe auxiliary stationary dustreceiver between the track-rails connected with the said tube.. Fig. 11 is a sectional view of the portion of the platform of the car and the suction-tube and receivers, taken at right angles to andupon the line2 2 of Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional view of tlieairsuction and blast fan case, showing the induction-pipe leading to the horizontal tube beneath the platform of the car. Fig.'13 is a plan view of the retaining device for the crank-rod on the platform of the car. -3

Similar letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings,A represents an ordinary platform-car, the platform of which is mounted upon the forward and rear trucks 0, and a the flanged wheels a of which trucks are seen bearing nponthe track-rails B. For the purpose of illustration I have designed to employ the usualtrack-rails of the street-railway cars, over which the platform-car A is propelled to clean the street and utilize the same motive power employed by the street-cars. .When this power is not available, the platform-car may be otherwise propelled.

Upon the platform a of the car, near its forward end and at a point equidistant from the sides of said platform, is an air suction and blast apparatus 0. Said apparatus consists of a case 0, in which is a rotary suction and blast fan of ordinary and well-known construction and not necessary to illustrate. The fan-operating shaft 0', as seen on Fig. 3,

is journaled at one end in the standards D D, the other end of which shaft extends within one side of the fan-case and supports the rotary suction and blast fan 0. With the other side of the case 0 and the induction-opening c in said side is rigidly connected a vertical conducting-spoutE,which is bent at its upper end to form an elbow and connected with the opening 0 in case 0. The lower end of the spout E extends through the platform 0. of the car and to a position a short distance below the under side of said platform, and which lower end is connected with the upper side of a horizontal tube F, extending an equal distance to the width and in a transverse direction'to the platform a of the car. Upon each end of the tube F, which is of the proper size to admit of the free passage of dust, are socket-joints f f, which receive the socketjoint h on the elbow H, hereinafter described.

G represents the novel pneumatic dust-receivers, which are arranged in position upon each side of the car and near the ground, and each extends in length from a point beneath the elbow-joints ff outwardly and nearly the width of the street between the track-rails and theusual curbing and as near the gutter as the curvature of the gutters will permit. Each receiver G consists of a longitudinal tube or trunk which is elliptical in shape in cross-section, the oppositely and outwardly curved sides g g of which extend from the line g of the top downwardly toward the ground and are spread apart, leaving a longitudinal opening 9' extending the length of the under side of the receiver, upon the lower ends of which sides are downwardly-extended flanges g g. The inner end of the receiver G beneath the platform of the car extends in height a considerable distance, so as to give free passage for the volume of dust, and from said inner end to the outer end the height of the receiver G gradually decreases, the line g of the top of said receiver describing a downwardly-inclined plane. The rear end of the receiver G extends downwardly from the top of the receiver and inclines outwardly at an angle to said top and is closed by the end plate 9 conforming to the curved ends of the receivers. In the top of receiver G and on the end beneath the platform aof the car is an opening 9 Upon the top of the receiver and extending around the opening g is a circular upwardly extended neck 9 the sides of which extend downwardly in curved lines on opposite sides g g of the receiver G and are riveted thereto. At the upper end of the neck 9 is an outwardly-extended flange g H represents the flexible curved-joint elbow-pipe connecting the receivers with the horizontal suction-tube F, upon the lower end of which is an outwardly and downwardly extended annular flange h, which extends loosely around the flange g. neck 9 is a ring 9', which is secured by bolts Extending around the g to the lower end of the annular flange 72., thus permitting the neck g 'to' turn freely in the flange h. Upon the upper end of the elblow H is a joint h, which is slightly smaller and fits within the socketed end of the tube F. Through the sides of the socketed ends f and h of the elbow and tube extends a transverse pivot-bolt f Upon the outer side of each flange g g of the receiver G are a series of eyes or loops 9", and extending in the longitudinal direction of the receivers in said loops are the crank-rods I, upon which rods near the inner ends of the receivers are cranks i 1'. With said rods upon each side of the receiver are connected rigidly a series of downwardly-extended arms which extend a short distance from the rods I, and upon the outer surfaces ofwhich arms is a longitudinal plate 7?, the upper edge of which is near the rods I and the lower edge of which is connected with the ends of the arms i Upon the outer surface of the plate t are brushes L, which are arranged at short distances apart in the longitudinal direction of plate 11 and which consist, preferably, of bamboo fiber, the lower ends of which fibers extend to the surface of the ground. Upon the outer and inner sides of the brushes L are longitudinal plates "6 of the same width of the plates '6 Upon and covering the outer surface of the inner plate 91 is a longitudinal strip of rubber or canvas cloth or apron i, extending the length of the receiver G, the lower edge of which cloth or apron extends downwardly to within a short distance of the lower ends of the fibers of the series of brushes L and which serves to prevent the suction of air from the receivers'to' pass throughout the brushes. Upon the outer side of the apron i is a longitudinal plate 2' of the same length and width as the plate 1?. Through the arms 11 and the clamping-plates 2' i and also the rubber cloth i extend the clamping-bolts 0', upon each of which is a head 11 and a nut i and which bolts are arranged at short distances apart in the longitudinal direction of the plates 71 2' With the cranks i t on the rodsI Iare pivotally connected the lower ends of the sweeperoperating rods M M, which extend upwardly a short distance in a direct line and thence bent at an angle at n and extended through suitable openings in the platform a of the car and are provided with rings or handles on m. Upon the sides of the rods M M at the point where they pass through the openings in the platform of the car are teeth m, which serve to engage with the sides of said openings and hold the rods when the cranks t' i are operated alternately to lift the sweeper L.

With the outer ends of the receiver G and with the top portion g is secured one end of ICC from the pivot-plate n, inthe direction of the rear end of the receiver and connected with the sides 9 g is an eyebolt o. Through the eyebolt 0 extends one end of the operatingrod 0, the extreme end of which isbent upwardly at o to secure the rod from removal. The other end of rod 0 extends in the direction of the upper end of the elbow II and near the uppersideof said elbow and is pivotally connected at 0 to the lower forked end o 'of a vertical crank-rod 0 the upper end of which rod extendsupwardly through a suitable opening in the platforma a short distance inwardly from the side of the platform and'also a shortdistanceupwardly above the upper side of the platform through a cap 0 on the inwardly-extended braces 0 0, and:

upon said rod is a crank 0 by means of which the receiver is vibrated laterally or held from movement while the street isbeing cleaned of dust. I b

Upon the shaft 0 of the suction andblast apparatus is a band-wheel 0 over which extendsone end of a belt 0 the other end of which is extended over theband-wheelc on an electric motor P, arranged-in position in the rear endof the platform a in line with the suction and blast'apparatus O, the two ends of the belt beingunited in the ordinary manner.

On the platform a of the car, immediately in rear of the suction and blast apparatus 0, is a stationary upright hollow post R, upon which is the trolley-arm r, carrying thetrolley T, which moves over the overhead wire 1, through which the current passes from the main electric plant of the street-railway motive power. The conducting or branch wires r connect with the trolley 7",pa'ss downwardly within'the hollow post R, thence to the reposite directions, the pipes #15 extending forwardly and rearwardly to vertical lines extending through the ends of the platform a.

U represents a platform-car therwheels of which are mounted on track-rails B and which car is coupled with the platform-car A. Upon the platform u of the car U is a tank u, having anopening u in the top. The tank it" extends the length of platform to, and its sides extend in height a short distance above the height of the branch pipes 15 15 In the forward endof the tank u and near one side of the tank is a short length of pipe u, upon which is a flange u Upon the ends of the branch pipes t t are coupling-flanges a u". Oneiofthe branch pipes tihaving-the u on the pipe u, connectedwith the end of the tanku'. In each pipet t is a damper t". In order to take I up the dust between the track-rails, I employ aseparate receiver and dust-collector V, which is arranged beneath the platform a of the car and in-rear of the horizontal dust-tube F, the construction of which is similar to the receiver G, the connection with the top of the receiver being an elbowo, which extends forward andis con-v nected rigidly with the-rear side of tube F. From the elbow v the top of the receiver decreases in height in opposite directions toward Fig. 11, which extend upwardly through suitable openings in the :bottom of v the car and are provided with handles t 41 In operation the receivers G G are moved by thecrank 0 which operates the ,rods 0 from the sideof the car to a lateralposition to the car, as seenin Fig. 1, the outer end of the receiver G extending nearly the width of the street from the track-rails B towardqthe line of the street-curbing on opposite sides of the street. The rodsM M are operatedupon the sides of thereceivers GG in the direction of the forward movement to lowertlie brushes L and the apron t. Thelower ends of I the fibers of the brushes and the lower edge of lect the dust, the apron servingto prevent the airfrom passing throughxthe brushes. The power from the overhead wireris transmittedto the motors-P and Sand the car-propelled on the track B along the centerline of the street. This poweris transmitted through the belt 0 to the air suction and blast apparatusO, the suction power of which is extended throughthe tubes E and-F, the elbow H, and the receivers G G, the suctionextending'the length of the receivers and to the surface of the streetover which theyare moved and to the dust collected by the brushes, and as the dust is collected by said brushesand apron the motion of the blast-fan causes a vacuum in thereceivers G-Gand draws the dustinto the receivers,

thence up the elboWH to the suction and blast apparatus through tubes F l and E and is forced outof the apparatus by the blast into the branch pipe F, then to the tank to and the side of said tank in rotary currents, the air finding a Vent through the opening u in the top of the tank after depositing the dust in the tank. In the operation of the blast apparatus O the dust is also collected by the receiver V beneath the car A and expelled through the branch eduction-pipe t into tank to, the brushes and apron on the forward side of the receiver V being adjusted by the rods 0 in the manner described by the rods M M on receiver G G. Any vertical movement which may occur in passing over an uneven pavement is provided for in the elbow H, the socket-joint h and f, with the tube F, permitting a free movement of the elbow the proper degree, and also by means of the hinged connection of the rod 0 with the crank-rod 0 The vertical movement isindependent of the rotary movement of the crank-rod. In meeting obstructions upon the street the crank o is operated to vibrate the outer end of the receivers toward the side and rear of the car, this movement being permitted by the flexible joints g and h, which connect the elbow H with the receivers and which permits of the rotary movement of the flange 9 in the enlarged flange h on the end of said elbow. In a reverse movement of the car A one of the branch pipes 16 of the dust-distributing pipe T is disconnected from the tank u and the other branch pipe t connected with the tank and the brush and apron lowered in position upon the opposite side of the receivers G G and V in the movement caused by said reversal of movement and raised in position upon the sides of the receivers on which they were previously operated to collect the dust. The damper t in the branch pipe i t is opened and closed according to the direction and movement of the car.

In myinvention the usual sprinkling of the street to merely allay the dust is avoided, and no dust or deposits of animal refuse remains, the entire quantity of dust and debris in the path of the receivers being collected and discharged into the tank u, from which the collected dust is removed through a door a, hinged at 11. to the side of the tank 11.. In the rearward movement of the receivers G Gthe swivel-wheels NN turn upon the pivots n and follow the line of direction of the outer end of the receivers as they move toward the sides of the car.

The crank-rods a operating the receivers G G, are held in position, and also the receivers, by a notched wheel 0 on the crankrod, which is near the upper surface of the platform a of the car, as seen in Fig. 13, the ratchet 0 consisting of a T-shaped pivoted arm, which engages with the square notches in the wheel and prevents its rotation and that of rod 0 Other devices may be employed in place of the wheel and ratchet, if preferred.

When the usual power required to operate the suction and blast apparatus and the car is not available, I intend to employ an engine such as a gasolene-engine and the usual traction of the desired power upon the wheels, power, and any vehicle suitable for the support of the suction and blast apparatus.

It is obvious that modifications may be employed in the invention and which will readily occur in the various details of construction and which are within the scope of the invention, and by the employment of these modifications the invention may be applied to buildings for sweeping a floor and the receivers employed in the various rooms of the building and the dust drawn to the suction and blast apparatus properly located in the building or elsewhere, as may be found desirable.

Having fully described my invention, what I now claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A pneumatic dust-collector comprising a vehicle, a motor, a suction and blast apparatus upon said vehicle, actuated by said motor, a transversely-extended air-suction and vacuum-forming dust-receiver having a longitudinal opening upon its under side for the entrance of the dust and movable upon the surface of the ground, conductors for the dust connected with said receiver and also connected with the induction opening to the said suction and blast apparatus having swivel-joints, and aprons hinged to the said receivers, means for vibrating the receiver laterally inposition on the side of the vehicle and elevating devices connected with said hinged aprons and adapted to raise and lower said aprons alternately.

2. Apneumatic dust-collector and sweeper, comprising a vehicle, a motor, a suction and blast apparatus upon said vehicle actuated by said motor, a transversely-extended air-suction and vacuum-forming dust-receiver having a longitudinal opening upon the under side for the entrance of dust, movable upon the surface of the ground, conductors for the dust connected with said receivers and also connected with the induction-opening to the suction and blast apparatus, having swiveljoint combined dust brushes and. aprons hinged at said receivers, means for vibrating said receivers laterally in position to the side of the vehicle, and elevating devices connected with the hinged brushes and apron.

3. A pneumatic dust-collector and sweeper for streets comprising a vehicle, a motor, a suction and blast apparatus upon said vehicle actuated by said motor, a transverselyextended air-suction and vacuum-forming dust-collecting receiver upon the side of said vehicle and the surface of the street, having longitudinal openings upon its under side, a conductor for the dust connected with said receiver and also connected with the induction-opening to the suction and blast appa ratus, combined brushes and aprons upon opposite sides of said receivers, hinged thereopening in its top and oppositely-extended dust conducting pipes connected with the eduction-opening to the suction andblast apparatus one of which pipes is connected with one side and end of the dust-receptacle and suitable valves in said pipes.

5. A dust-collector consisting of a longitudinally-extended receiver, having an opening upon its under side for the reception of the dust, traveling supports for said receiver,

flexible conductor connected with said re-,

ceiver, an air-suction apparatus connected with said conductor, a hinged support upon said receiver and dust-collecting fibers upon said support, and an apron, substantially as described.

6. A dust-collector consisting of a longitudinally-extended receiver, having an opening upon its under side for the reception of the dust, traveling supports for said receiver, flexible conductor connected with said receiver, a receptacle for the collected dust, an air-suction apparatus connected with said conductor and a conductor leading fromsaid apparatus to said dust-receptacle, a hinged support upon said receiver and dust-collecting fibers upon said support, and an apron, and means for raising and lowering said fibers and apron.

7. In a pneumatic dust collector and sweeper, a vehicle, a motor, a suction and blast apparatus upon said vehicle, having in duction and eduction openings, actuated by said motor, a longitudinally-extended, airsuction and vacuum-forming receiver upon the side of the vehicle and the surface of the ground, having a traveling support for the outer end thereof and a conductor connected therewith and a conductor connected with the said receiver and also connected with the induction-opening to the suction and blast apparatus, havingswivel and socket joints, of a crank-rod on the said vehicle, and a longitudinal rod connected with the outer end of said dust-receiver, and a hinged joint connecting said crank-rod with the rod on said receiver.

8. In a pneumatic dust-collector, a vehicle, suction and blast apparatus having induction and eduction openings, upon the-platform of said vehicle, a motor actuating said suction and blast apparatus, a tube beneath the said platform, extending transversely thereto, and a conductor connected with said tube and the induction-opening to the suction and blast apparatus, elbows upon the ends of said tube and pivoted socket-joints connecting the said elbows and said tube, air-suction and vacurim-forming receivers on each side of said vehicle and swivel-joints connecting the said elbows with said receivers, means for operating said receivers on the swivel-joints, and a receiver beneath the said platform, and a conductor connected rigidly with said receiver and said tube beneath the platform, and

hinged brushes and aprons upon said receivers, and devices upon the platform of said vehicle for operating the hinged brushes and aprons.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN T. HOPE.

Witnesses:

JOHN T. MARSHALL, CLARENCE F. MEAD. 

